A child has leukaemia and is taking vincristine, they are suffering from numbness in the legs. what would you recommend to counter this side affect?

Gabapentin and....: A medicine called Gabapentin (neurontin) can sometimes help, though it does not work for everyone, and it has its own side effect profile. Physical therapy can also be beneficial. The child's oncologist should be told of the numbness, since occasionally the dose of vincristine may need to be adjusted if the side effect is very severe.

The neuropathic....: Effects of vincristine are often effectively treated with Gabapentin (aka neurontin), which is a GABA agonist. The drug is generally very well tolerated, but may take a week or two for patients to experience a benefit. For significant toxicity, such as those that lead to impaired activities of daily living, dose reduction may be necessary. You should discuss these issues with your physician.